How does a pope choose his name?

This year’s conclave is only the 14th that is held in the chapel, because the rules for choosing a Pontiff were drawn up for the first time about 800 years ago, said Ralf van Bühren, who gives art history at Pontifical University of Santa Croce in Rome.

The conclave was first held in the chapel in 1492. Then the conclusions of more than 300 years were held in different spaces in the Apostolic Palace, the papal residence. Only 1878 did the church again be held the papal elections in the Sixtine Chapel. And it only became the official site for the conclave in 1996 Rules for papal electionsnoted at Barbara Jatta, the director of the Vatican Museums.

In the early centuries of the church, the popes were chosen by acclamation – a kind of voice of the group – and the clergy and the population of Rome could participate. Gradually the voting rights were limited to the highest ranks of the clergy, although external interference of princes and aristocrats was customary.

The longest conclave in history lasted 33 months, between November 29, 1268 and 1 September 1271. It brought Gregory X, the Pontiff that emerged from those elections, to set up rules used for the first time in 1276. These were adapted over the years by John Paul II, and Tweaked By Benedict XVI.

Conclave comes from “cum clave”, Latin with a key, and the cardinals remained shosted until a pope was chosen. Small, hastily built cabins were founded in the Sistine Chapel and surrounding halls and rooms. Each cardinal received one or two assistant, although the space was scarce, the assistants were often forced to sleep on improvised lofts above the cabins.

There were periods in history in which cardinals were literally walled, along with a crew of assistants. The Vatican archives and museums have documents that refer to payments for some of the extra conclave -crews: ceremonies, hinderers, sacristans, doctors, nurses and pharmacists.

“It was a whole world,” said Michela Gianfranschi, a Vatican Museum Official.

An official who is known as a Conclaafmaarslhal, received the keys from where the cardinals stayed and acted as their intermediary on the outside world while hit.

The diaries of previous participants suggest that papal conclusions were hardly any picnics. Throughout the centuries there have been fires in the hall. Fighting broke between cardinals. Riots broke out on the street outside.

Mary Hollingsworth, in Her book Around the conclusion of 1559 that during the four months that led to the election of Pope Pius IV, “the living conditions in the Vatican had dramatically deteriorated: one Cardinal died, many were sick (some who died afterwards), and the smell in the Sixtine Chapel, where 21 of them had to be written,” ”

The election of Urban VIII took place for three weeks in the summer of 1606, and contemporary documents say that the 55 involved cardinals members in the stifling Roman heat. By the time they were released, 12 cardinals had fever, two had to leave due to illness and others were almost dead. Even Urban had to postpone his election ceremony because he was sick.

Some popes tried to find alternative spaces to house the cardinals, including above the colonnade on the Sint -Peter’s Square, a plan that was never implemented or camping in the Vatican gardens, which was also nixed, said Mrs. Gianfranschi.

At the beginning of the 19th century, four conclusions were held in the quirinal, the pontifical palace in the city that today is the home of the Italian president. The move to the quirinal was partly for practical considerations: it was wider and the number of cardinals had grown, said Mrs. Gianfranschi. But the popes lost the palace when Italy became a kingdom, and in 1878 the papal elections were moved to the Sistine Chapel.

According to John Paul’s rules, a Vatican guest house with modest shelter was built for the voting cardinals.